Aerosol dispenser with magnetic support



Aug. 30, 1966 R. L. WEBER m AEROSOL DISPENSER WITH MAGNETIC SUPPORTFiled Sept. .24, 1964 ATTORNEYS.

FIG. 2

4 a Z 3 a %4 fr TE %m 2 mm 1 0 T 2 l I. ll fl m a M a m n G K I B F I w5 Y 4 m l M B 3,269,608 Patented August 30, 1966 3 269,608 AEROSOLDISPENSER WITH MAGNETIC SUPPORT Robert L. Weber 111, New Canaan, Conn,assrgnor to Time-Mist Inc., a corporation of Delaware Filed Sept. 24,1964, Ser. No. 398,931 3 Claims. (Cl. 222-180) This invention relatesgenerally to fluid spraying apparatus and more particularly to motordriven devices for the periodic and automatic dispensing of pressurizedmaterial from containers such as aerosol cans.

For many years aerosol containers with manually actuated valves havebeen used for discharging fine sprays of atomized liquids into theatmosphere. Such containers or cans contain aerosols in which the fluidto be dispensed is in association with a liquified gas. In the can is aspring closed valve with an upwardly projecting discharge stem carryinga spray nozzle in the form of a fingerpiece or button, the depression ofwhich opens the valve to effect the dispensing of the active ingredientand the carrier in the form of a fine mist. The valve mechanism may besuch that the spray is continuously discharged as long as the nozzle isheld depressed, or it may be of the metering type in which thedepression of the nozzle causes a single burst of spray. In recent yearsthere have been marketed devices for automatically operating the nozzlesof such aerosol cans at timed intervals such as one, five, fifteen ormore minutes. Such automatic actuators have used slow speed electricmotor units to periodically operated some form of mechanism that engagesthe valve nozzle or button fixed to the top of the tubular dischargestem of the valve mechanism.

The active ingredients in the sprays from such aerosol containers may beof various kinds such as an insecticide to control flying insects inhomes, eating places, food stores and greenhouses, an air purified tosanitize and deodon'ze the air in hospitals, food stores, restaurantsand kennels, and a chemical to produce a fragrant odor such asevergreen, spice, chocolate, or hickory smoke useable in retail stores,specialty shops and food stores to aid in sellling various products.

An object of the present invention is to provide an automatic sprayingmechanism in which a can of pressurized active ingredient is held in aframe so that a motor driven means can periodically actuate the valve ofthe pressurized can.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a mechanism in whichmagnetic means is employed to hold the can to the frame.

Still another object of the invention is to provide such a mechanism inwhich the magnetic means acts on the top of the can.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a mechanism in whichthe magnetic means acts on the side of the can.

In one aspect of the invention, a horizontal plate may be connected to avertical plate forming a frame adapted to be attached to a Wall. Thehorizontal plate may include an opening therethrough for the receptionof a protuberance on the top of an aerosol can or the like.

Aerosol cans are usually constructed with a top portion that is closedby a recessed cap, the outer edge of which is spun over, together withthe top edge of the can opening. Usually the recessed cap includes acentral, upstanding, cylindrical portion or protuberance, providing anannular space between it and the outer wall of the recessed cap. Theupstanding, central protuberance houses a valve mechanism thatcommunicates with the interior of the can, and a valve stem extendsupwardly beyond the central upstanding protuberance.

In another aspect of the invention, an annularshaped magnet, which maybe a permanent magnet or a sintered type electromagnet, may be rigidlyattached to the underside of the horizontal plate and concentric withthe hole therethrough. Its outer diameter may be such that it Will passinto the cup-shaped top of the aerosol can, and its internal diametermay be such that the upstanding central valve housing passes throughsaid magnet, thence through the hole in the horizontal plate.

In still another aspect of the invention, the annular magnet may includea semicircular groove concentric with the internal diameter thereof,which groove receives the spun edge of the cap and top of the aerosolcan.

In a further aspect of the invention, magnets may be attached to thevertical plate, said magnets having a contoured outer surface thatcorresponds to the cylindrical surface of the aerosol can, there being afinger attached to the vertical plate for holding the can in properposition vertically.

In a still further aspect of the invention, motorized means may beprovided for periodically actuating the valve stem of the pressurizedcan for dispensing predetermined amounts of active ingredient.

The above, other objects and novel features of .the improved pressurizedcan supporting and actuating means will become apparent from thefollowing specification and accompanying drawing which are merelyexemplary.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view, partly in section, showing a support foran aerosol can to which the principles of the invention have beenapplied;

FI181G. 2 is a modified form of the invention shown in FIG. 3 is anothermodified form of the invention; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

Referring to the drawing, and particularly to FIG. 1, the principles ofthe invention are shown as applied to apparatus including a verticalplate 10 adapted to be mounted on a wall. A horizontal plate 11 is fixedto plate 10 and it includes a passage 12 therethrough. A can 13 ofpressurized active ingredient adapted periodically to be dispensed isshown as being cylindrical in form, having a closed bottom 14 and atruncated conical top portion 15. The top portion terminates in an edge16 that is rolled or spun together with the outer periphery 17 of aclosure cap 18. The cap 18 may include a reentrant angular portion 19and a central upstanding housing portion 20. The housing portion 20 isadapted to contain the usual valve mechanism for such cans including astem 21 that slidingly extends outwardly from the top of housing 20. Thediameter of passage 12 is such as to freely receive housing 20.

An annular magnet 22 that may be a permanent magnet or a sintered typeelectromagnet may be fixed to the underside of plate 11 by screws 23.The inside diameter of magnet 22 is the same as that of passage 12, andits outside diameter slidingly fits the outer wall of the cup-shaped cap18. By moving the can 13 upwardly so that housing 20 extends throughpassage 12, magnet 22 is caused to contact the bottom surface of thecup-shaped cap 18 and the side wall of said cap, thus magneticallyholding the can 13 to the plate 11.

In order periodically to actuate valve stem 21, a motorized means 24 maybe provided. It is shown schematically and may be mounted on plates 11and 11 or in any other suitable manner. It may comprise a motor 25 thatis connected by a conventional onerevolution clutch 26 to a cam shaft27. A cam' 28 may be fixed to shaft 27 so that it acts on stem 21 todispense a metered quantity of the ingredient within can 13 each time itmakes a revolution. By means well known in the art, motor 25 can beperiodically energized to a single revolution of cam 28.

Referring to FIG. 2, the magnet 29 is provided with a groove 30concentric with a central opening 31, the magnet being fastened to plate11 by screws 32. The groove 30 receives the rolled or spun edges 16, 17and provides a more positive magnetic means for supporting the can 13.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, two pairs of magnet means 33 are shown asfixed to the vertical plate 10. The magnets 33 may be provided withcontoured surfaces 34 that correspond to the curvature of the can 13. Abracket 35 may be attached to plate for engaging the bottom 14 of can 13to position it vertically so that housing 20 and stem 21 extend aboveplate 11.

Although the various features of the improved mechanism have been shownand described in detail to fully disclose several embodiments of theinvention, it will be evident that changes may be made in such detailsand certain features may be used without others without departing fromthe principles of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, an aerosol container having a cupshaped top includinga rolled outer edge and an upstanding housing member at substantiallythe center thereof which latter communicates with the interior of saidcontainer; valve actuating means in said housing member; bracket meansincluding a horizontal plate having a hole therethrough adapted toreceive said valve actuating means; and annular-shaped magnetic meansattached to the underside of said horizontal plate and concentric withsaid hole for holding said container to said horizontal plate with saidvalve actuating means extending above said horizontal plate saidmagnetic means extendcause ing into the space between said upstandinghousing member and the Walls of the cup-shaped cap.

2. In combination, an aerosol container having a cupshaped top includinga rolled outer edge and an upstanding housing member at substantiallythe center thereof which latter communicates with the interior of saidcontainer; valve actuating means in said housing member; bracket meansincluding a horizontal plate having a hole therethrough adapted toreceive said valve actuating means; and annular-shaped magnetic meansattached to the underside of said horizontal plate and concentric withsaid hole, there being a groove in said magnetic means adapted toreceive said rolled outer edge of said top.

3. In combination, an aerosol container having a cupshaped top includinga rolled outer edge and an upstanding housing member at substantiallythe center thereof which latter communicates with the interior of saidcontainer; valve actuating means in said housing member; bracket meansincluding vertical and horizontal plates, the latter having a holetherethrough adapted to receive said valve actuating means; magneticmeans attached to said vertical plate and including a contoured surfacecorresponding to the contour of said container; and means on saidvertical plate adapted to contact the bottom of said container forlocating said container vertically.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 5/1954 Gerhardt285-9 2/1961 Harris ZZZ- X

1. IN COMBINATION, AN AEROSOL CONTAINER HAVING A CUPSHAPED TOP INCLUDINGA ROLLED OUTER EDGE AND AN UPSTANDING HOUSING MEMBER AT SUBSTANTIALLYTHE CENTER THEREOF WHICH LATTER COMMUNICATES WITH THE INTERIOR OF SAIDCONTAINER; VALVE ACTUATING MEANS IN SAID HOUSING MEMBER; BRACKET MEANSINCLUDING A HORIZONTAL PLATE HAVING A HOLE THERETHROUGH ADAPTED TORECEIVE SAID VALVE ACTUATING MEANS; AND ANNULAR-SHAPED MAGNETIC MEANSATTACHED TO THE UNDERSIDE OF SAID HORIZONTAL PLATE AND CONCENTRIC WITHSAID HOLE FOR HOLDING SAID CONTAINER TO SAID HORIZONTAL PLATE WITH SAIDVALVE ACTUATING MEANS EXTENDING ABOVE SAID HORIZONTAL PLATE SAIDMAGNETIC MEANS EXTENDING INTO THE SPACE BETWEEN SAID UPSTANDING HOUSINGMEMBER AND THE WALLS OF THE CUP SHAPED CAP.